§ Mr. Higginsasked the Minister of Transport if he is satisfied that restrictions on the use of motorway lanes are not impaired unnecessarily at times when no actual repair work is being carried out.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeYes, I am satisfied that authorities do not close motorway lanes irresponsibly; their concern is to minimise risk to the public and to their employees. The setting out and recovery of signs and cones on a busy motorway is in itself a hazardous and time-consuming operation which is not undertaken lightly. A reasonable economic working length has to be coned off 399W for any operation and this leads, for example when lighting elements are being cleaned, to the impression to motorists that long stretches are coned off whilst little work is apparently taking place.